One Can Only Try
by Jillianna'sOcean
Summary: Fallon and Halley Collins are on their way home on Titanic. During the voyage, one sister gets involved in an oceangoing fling, the other in a wrongful romance that may cost both girls their lives. If only they listened to each other... One can only try.
1. April 10th Chapter One

**_Author's Note: Hey guys! This is my very first fanfiction! I've been meaning to write one for a while, now, and I'll be straightforward for what you can expect from my stories: I'll try to get a chapter up a week, but I'm still in school and have homework every night and on weekends... When I do post chapters, they may not be very long, unless you'd all rather read longer, farther spaced out chapters... Anyway, I'll try to update frequently, and if you want, you can request chapter ideas and storylines... I'm pretty open to that kind of stuff... Anywayz, hope you enjoy chapter one of One Can Only Try._**

_**~Jillianna**_

**_*_**

"Hal, come on. Our stateroom's this way. Stop ogling at every man you see." Halley could be such a pain, sometimes, especially when there was a boy, or as she called them all, a _man_ involved. And since we'd gotten on the ship, we'd passed just over a hundred _male_ passengers and crew workers. Halley couldn't keep her eyes in her head.

Halley glared at me as I peeked over my shoulder and I only stifled laughs as I held my head high and kept on sauntering down the hallway, the green velvet I wore swishing between my legs with every step.

We were on our way to America. The whole family, Halley, Tommy, Mum, Da and I had been in England and Scotland, along with my fiancé Charles, to announce our engagement. Tommy, Mum, Da and Charles had gone back to America on an earlier ship, leaving Halley and I to shop in Paris before we had to return. We'd only just gotten news that they were all back in Philadelphia when we arrived in Southampton, two days before Titanic was to set sail.

I missed Charles already. He was the man of my dreams… literally. Since the day I met him, I'd dreamt about him nearly every night. It was pure luck and nothing more or less that all the girls he was assigned had other men, and he was one of five serious suitors for me. We loved each other dearly, and we both knew it. The wedding was set for June, and I couldn't wait. Halley, on the other hand, had big men issues.

From the time she was allowed to play outside with other children, she'd hung around the boys in her heavy petticoats, them all dressed in dark slacks and polo shirts or overalls. She liked all the boys… and it was only a minor inconvenience that none of them really liked her back. At the ripe age of sixteen, though, Halley was to be engaged soon after my wedding. Suitors were still analyzing her, like a prize show horse, deciding on whether or not to sign the final contract. It was only a matter of time, now, and Halley couldn't keep still.

As we approached our staterooms, I was dragging Halley by the wrist, completely embarrassing her. Well, that's what she gets for going all goo-goo eyed for every male she lays her pretty little eyes on. As we entered the stateroom, though, she forgot all about her embarrassment, and I dropped her wrist as I let the door slam behind us, forgetting of her foolishness.

It was a one-roomed suite with two mahogany beds and red velvet drapes that hung to the floor around them. There was no porthole, but a _window_ in the far corner, and beside it was a door to what I imagined would either be the closet or the bathroom. Our belongings lay unpacked on our beds, our suitcases tidily closed and positioned against the wall. _Wow…_ I thought, immensely impressed. _The White Star Line has really outdone themselves with this one…_

I heard a muffled cry from Halley, and assumed it was out of delight as she flung herself onto her own bed. "I finally get my own bed!" she screamed into the bed, and I couldn't help but laugh. We had shared a bed at the last few hotels we'd stayed at throughout England and Scotland and Halley absolutely hated it.

I sat gingerly down on my own bed, removing the shawl from my shoulders and gliding my hand over the fabric of the bed sheets. Silk. I should have guessed. This was the Titanic, of course…

"Fal, do you think we'll have our own maid and steward? Wouldn't that be just _lovely_? Oh, that would be utterly _wonderful_!" At sixteen, Halley truly was a handful.

She had a halo of blonde curls that surrounded her long pale face, a short and curvy figure that would leave any man's heart beating wildly in his chest, and the round and strikingly deep grey-blue eyes the color of the ocean on a rainy day. I, however, was nearly opposite, as I had the same curls, yet a dark shade of black, a curvy figure, yet I was taller and more matured, and the same round eyes, yet a dark green color as opposed to her light and cloudy blue. My skin and face shape, though, were same as hers.

The ship had started moving, then, and I proposed that Halley and I go out on the boat deck in a few minutes, after the farewell crowds had died down some. Her eyes lit up, as they often did when she was excited, and she grinned widely, her perfectly straight and white teeth glistening. I sighed, rolling my eyes, and stood. "But no boys. You know perfectly well that Mum and Da are finding you a suitor this instant."

Halley's nose wrinkled as her brown furrowed, and I could tell she wasn't all too happy. "We're on a ship. We ought to have some fun. I won't tell if you have an affair with someone…" "Halley!" I shrieked my eyes wide as I glared at her. "You know I love Charles with all my heart and being on a ship is no excuse! The gossip will get back to America anyway, no matter where we are."

She crossed her arms and pouted, her pink lips protruding from her face. "I hate being a Collins. We've got too many expectations to keep up." I frowned as I walked to the door, beckoning for her to follow. "It's not so bad… We basically get our pick of the finest male meat this world has to offer. What more could you want?" She was still pouting as she brushed past me and out the door, and I could just hear her mumble, "I want some fun, once in a while."

*

"Well it's a lovely day, at least," I pointed out, trying to cheer up my stubborn sister. I guessed she was still upset I wouldn't let her go off cavorting around the ship with the men she wanted to, most of whom I assumed were already married and merely looking for a thrill.

Halley grunted in reply, staring off into the ocean thoughtfully. I sighed, leaning against the rail beside her. A breeze blew, gently tugging my dark hair loose of the bun I had piled neatly atop my head just hours before. "Look…" I reasoned and Halley glanced at me from the corner of her eye, refusing to turn her head. "I'm sorry I have to keep you so locked up, but we both know you're still young and a bit naïve. Plus, Mum and Da will have someone picked out soon, and you'll probably be engaged before Charles and I get back from our honeymoon." Halley shrugged, grunting again, this time without looking at me.

I shook my head, only slightly defeated, and continued staring out to the ocean. There was comfortable silence between us for a few minutes; the only sound was that of the steel hull of Titanic slicing through the water crystal, the wind flying off the deck and the polite conversation and laughter of first class passengers strolling behind us.

"Hey, Fallon?" Halley finally asked, and I raised my eyebrow, unused to her calling me by my full name. This time it was I who grunted in response. "Do you love Charles?" I blinked, still looking at the horizon, both my eyebrows now raised, before I frowned. "Of course I do. I chose him, and he chose me. We love each other with all our hearts, and I miss him very much, right now." I meant every word I said.

Halley nodded slowly, as if accepting the answer to her question. I didn't even have to ask her the reasoning behind her inquiry, as she spoke again before I even had the chance to.

"I was just wondering because I know of many married and engaged couples who hardly know each other and don't even love each other. I just hope I have what Charles and you do, some day." I smiled, my heart warmed by her comment. "You're not as naïve as you look," I teased, getting a slight giggle out of her.

There was another few seconds of the comfortable silence between us before Halley announced that she was getting cold and that we should probably get back inside. "You're right," I agreed, suddenly becoming aware of my cold bare arms and probably reddening cheeks.

Halley turned away from the rail and began to walk as I lingered behind for a moment, staring into the ocean, the sun just beyond its highest point of the day. I assumed it was just after two in the afternoon, as it had been around one when we left our stateroom and we'd been out for at least an hour.

"Fal, are you coming?" Halley stood at a door that led inside, her hand on the brass doorknob. I nodded and began walking towards her. I was almost at the door where Halley waited expectantly for me, when a terrible weight was thrust upon me and I fell to the cold wooden deck as Halley screamed my name.


	2. April 10th Chapter Two

_**Author's Note: Yay! Chapter two! Wow… I wrote this only minutes after chapter one was posted, but I wanted a few reviews before I posted another chapter. As I assume most of you are too, I am an aspiring author and comments are always much appreciated. **___

_**~Jillianna**_

_*****_

I fell to the ground with a thud, my head only barely hitting the ground. Still, with the crushing weight on top of me, it was enough to magnify even the slightest pain by one hundred percent. "Fallon!" Halley screamed, and with my eyes closed, I could hear her quickened footsteps and imagined her running to me, her face creased with worry.

Just before the terrible weight was lifted off me, I heard jagged breathing in my ear and assumed the breath belonged to the culprit. As soon as the weight was off of me, I felt a pair of large hands on my back and a smaller set on my cheeks. "Fallon?" I could by Halley's shaking hands on my cheeks and the heightened pitch of her voice that she was near hysteria.

"What the Hell is the matter with you?" I heard her scream, and the hands on my back flinched. Then, an unfamiliar and slightly shaking voice: "Miss? Are you alright, miss?" I could suddenly hear the gossiping whispers of first class passengers who'd gathered around to watch. "Isn't that Miss Collins?......That was one of the officers……What happened to her?......Here comes Mr. Murdoch… Look out…"

Heavy footsteps approached quickly and I felt the larger set of hands retreat from my back. I almost regretted it, as they had provided some warmth to my cold body. "Harold!" a booming voice bellowed. I heard skittering behind me and I imagined the man with large hands standing up. "What the Hell is going on here?" the same voice yelled, and even I cringed.

"Well, sir… I… I…" the man who'd knocked me down stuttered. I rolled onto my back moaning, partially out of pain and partially to get all of the attention off the clearly unnerved man.

"Fallon? Are you okay?" Halley cried again, and this time, I blinked my eyes open. Just as I'd imagined, Halley's face was creased with worry and there were two other faces staring down at me.

One face was young and had concern inside every unnatural wrinkle. He was kind of handsome, with his dark brown hair and flawless complexion, his dark eyes full of worry. The second face, I could tell, belonged to the man who had been yelling. His face was naturally wrinkled and I could tell he was somewhat older. He seemed only slightly worried, though apparent anger still overtook his complexion. He looked almost as though he wore a perpetual scowl.

Halley's cold hands began stroking my cheek and her eyes looked watery, as though about to spill over with tears. I smiled weakly at her before turning to look at the two men staring down at me. The older one was wearing an officer's hat, whilst the younger one was not. By the way his hair was displaced, I assumed that his hat had fallen off upon hitting me head on.

"If you wanted to meet me," I said to the younger officer, "You could have just introduced yourself." He laughed nervously while Halley and the older officer smiled. "At least she's got a sense of humor," the older officer mumbled, standing up. "Harold, as your senior officer on this ship, I ask of you _not_ to run into passengers. Could you please assist Miss…?" "Collins," Halley quickly answered, and he nodded. "Could you please assist Miss Collins to the infirmary to assure that you didn't break her?"

The younger officer stood quickly, nodding officially. "Aye, sir. I can do just that." The older officer nodded once before sauntering off down the deck, glancing over his shoulder once before disappearing. Halley looked up at the officer who was still there as the crowd of first class gossipers began to disperse.

"What the Hell is the matter with you?" she hissed as she helped me sit up. Then, without missing a beat, she turned to me. "Are you alright? Can you walk?" Then back to the officer. "I swear on a stack of Holy Bibles that…" I put my hand up to shush her. "Halley, stop. Just let him take me to the infirmary. I'm not sure if I'm hurt or not and I don't want to risk anything."

I turned to the officer hovering over me. "Fallon Collins," I offered, sticking out my hand. He laughed slightly, bending down to take my hand. "Fifth Officer Harold Lowe." Instead of helping me up as I had imagined he'd do with the hand I'd offered him, Harold bent down, scooping me up in his arms. "Are you quite alright, so far?" he asked as Halley stared in awe, he eyes as wide as saucers.

"Yes, Officer. Thank you." I grinned and beckoned Halley with my head as Harold began down the deck. She followed dutifully as Harold carried me through an impossible maze of hallways and staircases. I wasn't sure I'd ever find my way back on deck at this rate.

"You must really know your way around the ship," I teased, watching his face as he grinned and his eyes flickered over to me for an instant. I suddenly remembered Halley's presence as she paced the hallways behind us, following and probably analyzing my every move. Boy, would I get it later if I began flirting with an officer after lecturing her about shipboard affairs…

I could just make out a raised eyebrow coming from Halley as Harold turned another corner, causing me to break eye contact with her. I quickly turned my head before she could catch my eye again. Though it seemed silly, I was slightly afraid of her gaze and what she'd think and say later.

"Well, here we are, Miss Collins," Harold announced, stopping at a white door in a long white corridor. "Do you wish for me to stay here with you, or are you alright with your…?" I could imagine Halley's grimace as she spat the words, "Sister. I'm her sister." Because I knew her, I could tell that the words came out more nastily than she'd intended them and I found myself blushing slightly at her tone. Could this be a crush I had on Mr. Lowe?

This time, I avoided Harold's eyes as I spoke. "It's quite alright, if you have work you must do. I'd imagine you were in a hurry, if you ran into me so… recklessly." I instantly knew he was blushing shyly without even looking at him as he laughed nervously and I could feel his heart beat somewhat faster in his chest. It was just like a drum beat in my ears… _Bu-bum. Bu-bum. Bu-bum…_

"Actually, I am a bit reluctant to go back on deck and face Mr. Murdoch… He was the gentleman so kind as to reprimand me in public… Just his personality, I presume…" Harold gave another bubble of nervous laughter and I could suddenly feel the heat from Halley's eyes burning holes in the back of my head.

I swallowed hard, trying unsuccessfully to keep it discreet and nodded to the door. "I should probably get inside," I whispered, and as Harold opened his mouth to respond, Halley cut him off, almost rudely pushing him aside as she flung open the door, making a sweeping gesture with her arm.

This time it was Harold who swallowed hard as he glided through the door, me in his arms, and I leaned over to Halley as he did so. "Control yourself!" I hissed in an undertone, hoping Harold wouldn't hear me. I was glad when he called out for the doctor, confirming my hopes he hadn't heard.

A short and squat man, with what little hair he had on his head the color of a 5 cent piece and a white lab coat on, rushed into the room, a clipboard and pen in hand. "Officer Lowe, what have we got here?" Harold nodded officially and glanced down at me.

"The young lady took a fall on the boat deck. We're unsure of any injuries, so I brought her down here as a precaution. Better safe than sorry, eh?" The doctor's bushy eyebrows furrowed as he cocked his head looked me over. "And… _how_ did the young lady happen to fall?" he inquired. I felt Harold tense up and before either of us could respond, Halley's voice came from behind us.

"My sister and I were on deck, about to go inside, when she slipped on a water spill. A steward had spilt a few cups of water in the entryway and neither of us saw it. I think she hit her head."

The doctor nodded, his bushy eyebrows still knitted together. "Is that so?" he asked, this question directed at me. I forced myself to blush as I looked down innocently, smiling shying. "I've always been a bit of a foolish and clumsy girl. If Mr. Lowe hadn't carried me down here, I'd probably have fallen down the stairs or something." I laughed nervously, hoping to sell my story.

It must have worked, as he looked down, scribbling something madly on the clipboard he held. I felt Harold's shoulders drop in silent relief.

I turned, so the doctor wouldn't see, and mouthed the words, "Thank you," to Halley. It wasn't the first time she'd saved me from social turmoil, and by far, it wouldn't be the last.

_*****_

_**Author's Note: Lemme know what you think! Chapter three is finished and should be up soon!!!**_

_**~Jillianna**_


	3. April 10th Chapter Three

_**Author's Note: Chapter three, finally! Hm… This was written the day after chapter one was posted… Don't expect me to keep up this pace—studying for finals in my school begins mid-March and doesn't end until school's over. Lame excuse, I know, but I'll try to write fast and post once a week… maybe every few days, if reviews are good. Thanks so much!!!**_

_**  
~Jillianna**_

*

My sister could be the biggest hypocrite, sometimes. _"Hal, stop ogling at every man you see!"_ I could just hear her nagging voice echoing inside my head. It was in my nature to ogle at men. She, however, was engaged to be married, not three months from now, and she was already involved in the beginning of some stupid oceangoing romance.

As we'd gotten back to the stateroom later that afternoon (Harold had waited for us and escorted us back), there was just enough time for Fallon and I to argue before I prepared myself for dinner. Fallon claimed she had a headache from the fall, which left something of a nasty bump, and insisted that she stay in the stateroom tonight.

"I trust you'll not get into any mischief?" she called as I walked out in a dark lavender dress that floated off my body just below my knees and hugged every curve I had. The corset I wore magnified my bosom and pushed in my stomach, so much so that one could fit both hands, with ease, around my waist. My hair was piled high atop my head and light touches of makeup were brushed upon my cheeks, making me appear so much older than I really was.

Fallon hadn't said anything about my… _mature_ appearance and I didn't push it as she almost never let me wear this dress. She must have been a little out of it from the fall. The dress was a bit scandalous, I had to admit, but I didn't mind much as I sauntered down the hallway, ignoring my sister's calls of warning that floated out the still open doorway.

It had taken me several minutes to find my way down to D deck and I had apparently missed the Grand Staircase and Reception Room entirely, as I walked through a single door and found myself amongst other first class passengers, milling around swiftly in their tuxedos and dresses, everything like a dream from a fairy tale.

I didn't know where to go. There had been no seating arrangements—not that I'd known of, anyway—and I hadn't known anyone in the room. I saw a few of the rich and famous: John Jacob and Madeline Astor, Molly Brown, Caledon Hockley, Ida and Isador Straus… but no one I knew personally.

At that, I almost turned around and left, planning on either dining elsewhere or retreating to my own stateroom with the excuse that all the seats were taken. However, that plan was soon forgotten as gentle fingers tapped on my shoulder. "Excuse me, Miss, but you're not alone here, are you?" The accent he used was British, and it seemed slightly forced. His voice wasn't deep, but rather strong, and he seemed nice enough.

A smile found its way onto my face as I turned, looking up into his eyes. He was about a foot an a half taller than my five foot height and he stood with his head held high, his purely black eyes just barely peeking down at me as he stared. His hair was jet black and slicked back, and his skin was pale white. The colors contrasted nicely and I found myself grinning even more.

"It just so happens that I _am_ alone tonight," I answered, batting my eyelashes in what I hoped would be a flirtatious manner. He grinned, his white teeth gleaming in the dim light of the room, and he offered his arm to me. I took it gratefully, smelling the deep scent of tobacco on his skin and in his cleanly pressed tux. He was tantalizing already and I knew that with this man, the relationship would be different.

He led me to an empty table in the corner of the room, and though it seated ten, we were the only two to sit at it. Hardly anyone passed us and those who did forced smiles and nods before continuing to walk on. I hardly noticed, though, as I was so enticed by this man's apparent good looks.

"The name's Vladimir Elliot," he introduced formally and smugly, reaching over to take my hand and kiss it gently on the bare knuckles. I blushed and retracted my hand before shyly responding, "Halley Collins." He nodded and smiled, his lips curling up almost wickedly. "Ah, yes, Miss Collins. I do believe your sister's wedding is this June? I was invited, of course, but can't make it. I'll be back in Europe by then. You know, business and such." He spoke so formally with me, it was as though he thought of me as so much older than I really was…

It took a while for waiters to come by and take our orders and, by the time they did, I had already learned some about Vladimir's character. "I'm an actor," he stated casually, taking a sip of the champagne he'd ordered for the both of us. I nodded before sipping mine, the acidic liquid burning down my throat. To be honest, I had never tried champagne before.

"Yes, I've been an extra in a few silent films. Nothing too big, of course, but I'm making my way." He was utterly fascinating. Soon enough, though, I had mindlessly drank three full glasses of champagne and forgot what I'd ordered before the first dish even arrived. I didn't mind, though, as I was having fun with Vlad, as he'd insisted I call him.

I wasn't sure how old he was, though he looked to be in his late thirty's… maybe older. I'm sure I must have asked him in my slightly unsteady state of mind, but if I did, I hadn't remembered the answer.

Vlad was great fun to talk to and it appeared to me that the night had ended too soon, as I was already on my sixth glass of champagne when the final dessert plate was cleared from our table and he gently pulled my chair out and helped me stand. "You didn't have too much to drink, now did you?" he asked, trying to appear worried. I might have noticed he wasn't as serious as he tried to sound if I hadn't been so out of it.

I smiled goofily at him, swaying slightly on my feet, my head rolling about on my neck. "I'll walk you back to your stateroom," he offered, and he really didn't have a choice. "B fifty… two?" I slurred, unsure of my own cabin number. He nodded, his near-wicked grin curling onto his lips again, as he linked my arm through his.

I hadn't remembered the walk back to my stateroom, though I did remember the taste of his lips as he kissed me goodnight after looking both ways to assure that no one was in the hallway. "Meet me at the Bridge, tomorrow at nine," he whispered, his lips gently brushing against my ear and sending chills down my spine as he called a final goodbye and walked off, turning a corner before I could turn to the stateroom door.

The gold plaque on the wall read "B-52," and I was slightly confused as I was sure my stateroom had been on the other side of the hallway… Without thinking, I knocked gently on the door, my senses coming back only slightly as I heard ginger footsteps advancing towards the door.

It swung open to reveal a vaguely familiar-looking girl in an extravagant white robe, no more than twenty, with fiery red hair that exploded from her scalp. Her eyes were pale skin and her was ashen, her knuckles even whiter as she tightly clutched the bathrobe together over her chest. "Can I help you?" she asked gently, and I heard a booming voice from deep inside the depths of the room. "Who is it, sweet pea?"

She turned her head to look back into the room and answered the voice with a muffled call I couldn't make out. "Can I help you?" she asked again, turning back to me. "Oh… I, um…" I stuttered and she poked her head out into the hallway to look around. "I know who you are…" she realized, blinking at me. "Did you forget your stateroom number? I think you're B-5_3_. This is B-5_2_. I keep getting lost, too."

I nodded, staring blankly at her, my face almost void of any emotion. She furrowed her eyebrows, waiting for me to respond. When I didn't, she raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "B-53's across the hall, if that's your room. If you need any help, I'd love to offer, but I'm in the middle of something now…"

As if on cue, the booming voice called from the deep inside the stateroom again. "Sweet pea?" he sang, and the girl looked at me sympathetically, smiling sadly. "Sorry, I've got to go." With that, the door closed and I turned slowly, taking two strides to cross the hallway to _my_ room door.

This time, instead of knocking, I turned the doorknob and opened the door slowly, trying not to make a noise as I entered. For an instant, I froze, hearing a low grumbling, until I realized it was just Fallon's gentle snoring. Sighing in relief, I stripped off my dress and put on a night gown before crawling into bed.

I was asleep before the sheets settled over my body.

*

_**Author's Note: Don't forget to comment! Chapter four has already been started... Thanks! **___

_**~Jillianna**_


	4. April 11th Chapter Four

_**Author's Note: Hope you're loving it so far—I'm having so much fun writing it! I've got a GREAT idea for a Jack/Rose fanfic, but I won't start until I'm done/almost done with this one. I wrote a summary, though… I dunno if I'll post it or what… anywayz… ENJOY!**_

_**~Jillianna**_

_*****_

As Halley's eyes blinked open, mild pain seared through her head and she groaned loudly, flopping over in her bed and covering her head with a fluffy pillow. Fallon, who was already up and dressed, hovered over her little sister. "Hal, you've got to get up. You just missed breakfast."

Halley groaned again, moving the pillow slightly to peek at her sister with a single bloodshot eye. Even the dim light coming from the window across the room was enough to make her grimace. "Go away," she mumbled almost incoherently and Fallon's eyebrows jumped as she smelt the liquor on her sister's breath. Yanking the covers down and receiving an attempted kick from Halley, Fallon fumed, her nostrils flaring and her eyes wide with anger.

"Have you been drinking?" she accused instantly, and Halley groaned again, her leg flying yet again in the direction of her sister. "I said go away…" Fallon grabbed the pillow from over Halley's head and threw it across the room. "You get up _right_ now, Halley Elizabeth, and you tell me _what_ you did last night!"

Burying her head under her arms, Halley whimpered, now scared rather than tiredly irritable. "Halley!" Fallon screamed, causing her sister to flinch. Halley peeked through her arms at her fuming and red-faced sister. "I… I had dinner with a nice man. He ordered me wine. I only had one glass." It wasn't entirely a lie, as one glass of alcohol was all Halley seemed to remember.

Fallon's face remained unwaveringly threatening as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Who? Tell me exactly who you were with last night and what you did." Her voice was slightly softer and Halley knew that what she was saying was having some sort of affect on her sister. "I don't remember. It was Elliot something, I think… I had dinner with him and he walked me back to the cabin. You were already asleep. I swear I only had one glass."

She refused to look up at Fallon, as she was terrified of the look she'd be getting now. Fallon's arms uncrossed and her hands found themselves on her hips as she stood, defiantly and motherly over Halley. "You're lying…" she accused, her eyes narrowing ever-so-slightly. "Tell me the truth, or so help me God…" Fallon whispered threateningly and Halley jumped up before Fallon could finish her threat.

Halley was on her feet, swaying slightly, as she stood in Fallon's face. "I _am_ telling the truth. I had dinner and a glass of wine with some Elliot guy. I don't see what the big deal is! I'm sixteen! You started drinking when you were my age!" Fallon's cheeks flushed again.

"I was seventeen and I was already courting! Plus, I was under Mum's supervision, so I didn't do anything foolish! God only knows what you did last night, seeing as though you refuse to tell me…" Halley opened her mouth to respond to her sister's words when Fallon turned away swiftly, the peach-colored dress she was wearing swishing between her legs.

"Get dressed. I want to speak with you on the boat deck." Halley's face wrinkled up in disgust as the door slammed behind Fallon. "You're _not_ my mother," she hissed to no one before rolling her eyes. As she rolled them, the fell on the clock, which read 9.32am.

'_Meet me at the Bridge, tomorrow at nine,'_ a voice whispered in her head, and she suddenly remembered all the details.

*

Instead of meeting Fallon on the boat deck, Halley threw a simple long white dress on over her head and sprinted to the Bridge. It was a quarter to ten by the time she got there, but she hoped Vlad would still be waiting.

As she approached the stairs that would lead her to the Bridge (she hoped her first class appearance would allow her unquestioned access…) she saw a tall man in a long black coat, leaning against the rail of the ship, smoking a cigar. His shoulders were hunched and she couldn't see his face, but she smiled to herself as she approached, sauntering confidently as she did so…

Meanwhile, Fallon also leaned against a rail, farther aft than the rail where Halley was. She sighed heavily, letting her head hang and her shoulders slump. She'd been thinking about Halley's recklessness all morning, even before she'd smelt the liquor on her breath, and was contemplating telling their parents. Halley had always been a difficult child, and it seemed the difficulty of raising her grew along with her age.

By ten o' clock, Fallon had forgotten all about her request to speak with Halley on the boat deck, as Halley had forgotten all about meeting up with her. Fallon was now troubled with her own thoughts: thoughts of her life after marrying Charles. What would she do? Was she destined to be a simple housewife, taking care of her children for life? Or to sit in a parlor in an extravagant mansion, sipping tea and gossiping and laughing politely?

As she thought of these seemingly awful possibilities, one solution always came to mind: Charles. She knew Charles would let her do whatever she desired, whether it be going back to school to get a better education or traveling the world with him. Every time his name came to mind, she smiled, thinking of his calmness and politeness; his handsome and flawless face, and how he'd always been there for her…

"Miss Collins?" Fallon jumped at the voice, straightening up and turning swiftly to be face to face (rather face to chin, as she was slightly shorter) with Harold Lowe. "Oh… Mr.… _Officer_ Lowe." She corrected herself as she addressed him and he smiled. "That won't be necessary. I believe that after the… _incident_ yesterday we're past the formality of titles and last names."

A sly smile crept onto Fallon's face as her eyes narrowed. "Then why would you be calling me _Miss Collins_? You're more hypocritical than I am," she teased, and although he didn't understand what she meant, he still laughed.

"I apologize, _Fallon_, but I wanted to assure it was you I was talking to and not some other beautiful fist class lady." Fallon blushed at his words and he blushed, too, soon after he said them. "Well, thank you _Harold_. I do appreciate it." He smiled, nodding. It was then that Fallon looked to his hands, which were nervously wringing out his navy blue officer's hat.

She grinned, giggling. "Harold, is there something you wish to discuss with me? You seem rather nervous." To assure her assumption, Harold laughed nervously, placing the hat back atop his head. "I… well, I…" he took a deep breath and Fallon raised her eyebrows, encouraging him to continue. "I wanted to apologize for yesterday…" Fallon furrowed her brow, smiling warmly.

"See? That wasn't so hard…" she began to say, but he cut her off. "And I was wondering if you'd like to have tea with me… sometime." The words came out in a garbled rush, the word _sometime_ seeming so distant and far away from the other words. Fallon's warm smile didn't waver as she touched his upper arm gently and, unbeknownst to her, sending chills down his spine.

"Harold, don't act so nervous. If we're past the formality of last names and titles, we're past the nervousness of asking one out for tea. And yes, I accept." Harold sighed in relief, grinning at her. "Jimmy and Lights suggested I do it… Will told everyone about what I did yesterday and they won't let me live it down."

Fallon smiled again, giggling. "When would we have this tea?" she asked, raising her head up high and looking down on him. She sensed him getting nervous again, yet trying valiantly to hide it. "Well… whenever you're free, I suppose." Fallon nodded. "Now," she said simply.

"I beg your pardon?" he swallowed, almost anxiously. "I'm free now," she repeated and his eyes widened. "Oh… okay. Shall we go to A La Carte Restaurant, or the _glamorous_ A La Officer's Mess Hall?" Fallon couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Wherever your arm takes me," she replied, linking arms with him as they started walking fore, towards the Bridge…

*

_**Oooo! Halley's in for some TROUBLE!!! Heads up, in case you didn't catch it through his sketchy personality in the last chapter, Mr. Elliot's got a questionable past… OoOoOoO… I'm working on chapter five now!!!**_

_**~Jillianna**_


	5. April 11th Chapter Five

_**Author's Note: Sup ma hommie g's??? Ha. I hope you're all enjoying the story so far. This chapter's kind of juicy, as far as hidden pasts and descriptions go… Hm… for some words, I'm not sure if they were around in 1912, so if you catch anything, just lemme know and I'll try to fix it. **_

_**Thanks a ton!!!**_

_**~Jillianna**_

*

"H—Haley?" Fallon spat in shock, her previous sentence so soon forgotten.

We had been walking, arm in arm, down the deck and she had been talking about her sister, her recent entrance to society and how their parents were trying to find her a suitable husband. She had been in the middle of the word _fiancé_ when she cut off abruptly, stopping dead in her tracks as she stared forward and stuttered her sister's name.

The girl turned around, mortified and stared at us in shock. Fallon quickly dropped my arm and I understood why. I hadn't first understood the shock in Fallon's voice or the embarrassment in Halley's until I saw the man leaning on the rail behind her, smiling wickedly. I'd recognize that man anywhere; His name was Vladimir Elliot and he was _not_ someone Fallon would want Halley to be seen with.

As she stared at her sister, I realized what a pretty girl she was. Though Fallon hadn't told me her age, I assumed Halley was a girl of seventeen or older… At least, she looked it. I had almost completely missed her yesterday as I'd been so preoccupied with making sure Fallon was okay but now I could see—she truly was a beautiful child.

The halo of blonde curls and the somewhat pale complexion, accompanied by the simple white dress she wore, made her look like an angel… a goddess, even. However beautiful she was, though, she still wasn't as beautiful as Fallon, in my eyes.

"Oh… Fal. Hey." Halley tried unsuccessfully to mask her embarrassment, but her glowing red face and shaking voice completely blew her cover. I looked at Fallon, who was also growing crimson, though her reddening complexion was due to anger.

I cocked my head, turning back to Halley and Mr. Elliot, wondering if I'd missed something vital to the embarrassment and anger between the two sisters. It wasn't until I almost looked away when I saw a smear of ruby lipstick on the corner of Mr. Elliot's mouth—a ruby shade that so perfectly matched the color Halley wore on her lips.

I heard Fallon's breathing quicken and I imagined her heart speeding up to thump widely in her chest. I dared not look at her; I didn't want to distract her or perhaps anger her any further. "Halley…" she hissed in a low undertone, the anger clearly apparent in her voice. Within seconds, Halley was shaking like a leaf and I could tell Fallon almost died as Mr. Elliot's arm gently snaked around Halley's waist.

Halley's eyes widened, ever so slightly, and she slowly stepped away from him, the only direction to go being toward her sister. His large and beeft hand still rested on the outward curve of her hip, and by the looks of it, there was no corset between his hand, the cloth of her dress, and her skin.

Swallowing nervously, I could tell Halley was trying to appear confident. Her head was tilted slightly upward and her arms were crossed in front of her chest.

Fallon said no other words as she marched forward, seizing her sister's arm and hauling her down the deck. They were gone in an instant, no apologies for missing tea, as I'd imagine she would have done had the situation been any different.

Mr. Elliot and I were left standing there, staring at each other, his face wearing his wicked grin and his hair slightly tousled, my face serious and my hair in order under my officer's hat. "Good day, Officer," he acknowledged, touching his head as if to salute me. I restrained myself from sneering openly as I plastered an obviously fake smile on my face and nodded before strolling down the deck and brushing past him, trying to appear as though I were in some kind of rush.

"Sir?" his snooty voice called after me and I cringed, hoping he hadn't seen me do so as I turned. He maintained a casual composure, slouched against the rail on the deck, his head tilted back slightly. "Do you know the Collins personally?" he asked, his eyebrows raised in mock amusement. "No," I choked. "Can't help you there."

He nodded, his eyes lazily blinking twice. "Halley's a _lovely_ child."

*

"Do you think this is some kind of a joke? Do you want our family to be eternally mocked because _you_ decided to have a _fling_ with that sleazy… _man_? If he can even be called a man!" Fallon was on a warpath and Halley had never seen her so angry before. Even this morning had only seemed like a mild outburst when compared to Fallon's worst explosions. But this… this was far worse.

"Are you even _listening_ to me?" she cried in exasperation as Halley sat at the foot of her bed looking guiltily at the floor. "It was only a kiss…" she whispered, almost incoherently and Fallon's eyebrows flew up in what Halley could only describe as half shock and half disgust. "_Only_ a kiss? _Only_ a damned kiss? Halley, where the Hell have you been? Do you not know who Vladimir Elliot is?"

Halley looked up, fire burning behind her eyes. "He's a kind man who I like. And I don't care what you say, because I'm still going to see him, whether you like it or not!" Fallon sighed, a mock smile creeping onto her lips for a moment. "He's a forty-something year old pedophile who's gotten three _young_ girls pregnant out of wedlock," she shot back, hoping to scare her sister out of the relationship.

Eyes retreating back to the floor, Halley refused to move. "Remember the Farr's? Their daughter Marjorie is only a year older than you. Remember how she _mysteriously_ disappeared from the high society gatherings? She became pregnant with his child. And this was only… two years ago? That little brat's got to be at least a year old. If she kept it, that is…"

Fallon's voice trailed off for a moment as her mind wandered before suddenly she was brought back reality by the soft crying of her sister. Her head was bowed, light curls covering her face as her shoulders shook slightly.

She quickly sat next to Halley on the bed, putting her arm comfortingly around her sister's shoulders. "I don't want you getting hurt and I don't want you getting involved with him. He may seem nice, but he's really not."

Her words provoked no response from Halley as the crying refused to neither cease nor increase and she hadn't spoken a word since she'd tried to defend the seemingly nice man.

"Look, Hal. I _can only try_ to help. The rest is up to you," Fallon whispered, gently rubbing Halley's back with the palm of her hand. "If you stop now, I won't tell Mum or Da. But if you continue, the punishments will be out of my control. I'll have no other choice." She figured if she scared Halley enough, she wouldn't even _think_ to look at any man, boy, gentleman—or male creature like Mr. Elliot, for that matter—for the rest of the voyage.

Fallon had actually believed that she's changed her sister's mind, if only slightly. What she didn't believe… rather, _wouldn't_ believe was that Halley was plotting her next meet with Mr. Elliot. The tears she shed were real, though. But they weren't tears of sorrow or embarrassment as Fallon had also wrongly assumed. They were tears of fear for what Fallon would say if she found out that Halley was continuing to see him.

*

_**Author's Note: Oh, no, Halley! Plot's getting pretty interesting for you reader's, I hope… **__**I'm working really hard on this story, so reviews are REALLY greatly appreciated. If you want longer or more frequent chapters, let me know. I can do one or the other, but probably not both…**_

_**And do you guys like the different point of views and the switch between first and third person point of view? Just wondering. Any constructive criticism would be AMAZING! Thanks so much, everyone!**_

_**~Jillianna**_


	6. April 11th Chapter Six

_**Author's Note: Hmmm… I should probably start putting in Disclaimers… Yeah… Hahaha…**_

_**Sorry about the long wait for this chapter… I've been having some family issues lately and this chapter was written in the form of thirty or so paragraphs in about ten different notebooks in the backseat of a car whilst my brothers took turns driving us halfway across the state… ANYWAY—here it is. The long awaited Chapter Six. Thanks a bunch.**_

_**~Jillianna**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Titanic, simply put. Neither do I own Jack, Rose, Cal (who may appear later in the story…) Harold Lowe, etc, ect. I merely own Fallon, Halley and the creepy Mr. Elliot. That is all. **

*****

I had left Halley in the stateroom, still gently crying into her hands as she sat on the foot of her bed. I knew I didn't have to enforce the fact that she could not and would not be seeing Mr. Elliot again—I knew she'd have more common sense than that and I frankly didn't want to rub it in.

My reasons for leaving my sister alone were simple; she had wanted to be alone, for one, and I needed to get to Harold and apologize. He probably understood why I'd left in such a hurry, but I still felt obligated to explain.

The Bridge was farther away than I remembered it, which was probably due to the fact I'd been so steaming mad as I dragged Halley back to our stateroom that I'd forgotten the distance. As I approached it, though, it was empty except for the one officer manning the wheel. "Sir?" I called gently, being careful not to allow the door to slam behind me. The man at the wheel turned, smiling, his face young and slightly rounded. He almost had a boyish look to him.

"Are you lost?" he asked with a grin, his hands still on the wooden wheel. I smiled back warmly. "No, quite the opposite, actually. I was wondering if you might know where Mr. Lowe is? I've been craving a word with him all morning. Glancing at the clock, I could tell that he was probably having lunch, now… as I should be doing…

The man pulled a lever, locking the steering wheel into place, as he, too, looked up at the clock. "I'd imagine he's in the Mess Hall now, actually. His shift is about to start." He paused, wiping his hands off on his recently pressed and navy blue pants. "James Moody," he introduced, holding out a hand.

"Fallon Collins," I accepted, taking his hand in my own. A flicker of recognition flashed in his eyes as he smiled. "Oh. _You're_ Miss Collins?" I blushed, my face flaming. "That would be me…?" I replied, my voice cracking nervously as I was unsure how he could know me and why he was making that amused face.

Cocking his head, Mr. Moody's smile fell. "How's your head? I heard you hit it pretty hard." My hand flew up to the bump on the side of my head, covered by my mess of hair. _Oh_. Mr. Moody probably heard about Harry running into me. I was sure all of the officers knew by now…

"I'm fine… _It's_ fine, now. Thank you." I nodded shyly and we shared an awkward moment of silence. "The, uh, Mess Hall is down that way, Miss Collins." Mr. Moody pointed to an open door which led down a long hallway. "Yes, of course. Thank you, Mr. Moody."

He nodded, touching his officer's hat formally before turning back to the wheel to direct the ship. Entering the hallway, I half expected it to have the elegance of the opulent first class hallway. However, these were the Officer's Quarters, so the extravagance was much more low-key.

I finally made my way over to a door with a sign on it that read "Mess Hall" and turned the knob slowly, pushing the door open. My eyes were met by a somewhat large room, several picnic tables spread throughout with blue makeshift tablecloths on each. There was a kitchenette in the far right corner which included a refrigerator, a stove, a small wooden counter.

Two men in navy blue officer's uniforms leaned against the counter while one sat on one of the picnic benches, his elbows resting on his knees and his chin resting on his knuckles as he faced the two men at the counter. All three heads turned to me as I closed the door behind me, and I smiled at Harold who had been sitting on the bench. He smiled back.

Standing tall, he straightened his shoulders and dusted off his pants before strutting over to me. "Good afternoon, Ms. Collins," he nodded formally. I started to tell him off for addressing me so formally, but before I could, he jerked his head towards the other two officers in the room. "Good day, Mr. Lowe," I replied, curtsying slightly with my head bowed.

I glanced at the other two officers who watched me with scrutinizing eyes, which were fixed on me so intently that I could feel the heat of their stares burning through my skin. Harold turned, rather quickly, to the other officers in the room. "Gentlemen, this is Ms. Collins, the young lady who-" before he could finish his sentence, the taller officer began snickering and the shorter one, who I recognized as Mr. Murdoch, stared at me in awe.

"Shut up, Lights!" he hissed, whacking the taller officer on the back of the head. _Right. They call Mr. Lightoller, Lights._ Mr. Lightoller stopped laughing and looked down at the ground, still unable to hide his grin. Harold looked away from me, probably out of embarrassment, and Mr. Murdoch was the one to break the painful silence.

"What brings you here, Ms. Collins?" he asked politely and I smiled in return. "Harold…" I froze before speed talking, trying to cover my mistake. "Mr. Lowe was kind enough to escort me to the infirmary yesterday and I just wanted to thank him."

Harold seemed to be the only one who really noticed that I'd addressed him on first name basis, as when he turned his head to look at me, his face was bright red. He still managed to smile, though. I heard Mr. Lightoller stifle laughs again, but this time Mr. Murdoch scoffed, too. "He brought her to the infirmary under _my_ orders, you know," he whispered in an undertone, but I still managed to hear.

I could tell Harold was fidgeting next to me, so I tried everything in my power to get us out of there. "Mr. Lowe, could I have a word with you?" I glared at Mr. Lightoller and Mr. Murdoch who were watching Harold's reaction with amused expressions. "In _private_?" He nodded quickly, grabbing my arm and leading me out of the room before I had a chance to look at either of the other two's faces.

He had led me out a different door than we'd entered and this one seemed to lead to a supply closet. A poorly insulated one, at that, as I could hear the two officers in the kitchen still trying to hold back laughs.

The door had squeaked closed behind us and Harold reached up to pull a string which turned on a light bulb which swung back and forth, casting eerie shadows on all the walls. The room was small, though not cramped. It held brooms and mops and buckets and soap and other cleaning supplies. In addition, Harold and I were able to stand in the room comfortably in our own personal space bubbles.

As his head turned up and he looked at me, I could tell he was nervous. I smiled gently as my brow furrowed. "You're nervous," I stated, and he began to protest, but thought better of it. "I just wanted to apologize," I whispered, leaning against a dusty old wooden broom behind me.

He looked confused as he took a single step forward. "Apologize? For what? I knocked you down and acted like a complete fool whilst my colleges teased you. I should be the one apologizing." He smiled boyishly, which, in return, caused me to grin girlishly.

I stepped forward; the only thing between us now was the dirty old string that was attached to the light that hung from the ceiling. "Well?" I asked expectantly, blinking twice and still managing to look amused yet slightly shy. Harold swallowed hard. "Well, what?" he whispered.

I tiled my head sideways flirtatiously. "Well, aren't you going apologize?" He nodded in understanding, swallowing again, before he leaned in quickly, his soft lips connecting with mine.

And the last two things on my mind were my sister and my fiancé.

_*****_

_**Author's Note: Oooo! We all saw that coming. But what about her fiancé? She does really love Charles (fiancé), in case you're having doubts about her point of view. And just so you know, I'm not sure that "personal space bubbles" existed in 1912, but it's just for a visual. Mmmm… Sorry for spelling errors… I'm terrible at correcting my own work. If there's something funky that doesn't make sense, ask me and I'll let you know.**_

_**Hope you LOVE it. Open to ideas and constructive criticism. No lemons, please (even though they're yummy).**_

_**~Jillianna**_


	7. April 11th Chapter Seven

_**Author's Note: Not sure if you guys like or even read these "Author's Notes," so… I'll try to keep this one short. I knew this would happen: Chapters are coming in farther apart than they were at the beginning… I'll try to write a few so I've got some wiggle room…**_

_**Sorry this is taking so long to update. I quite frankly have no excuse, except for the fact that I suck.**_

_**One more thing: I got my first "Lemon," if you will, a few weeks ago on this story. Not sure if I should be excited or offended… Please no more. It made me kinda sad… **___

**Disclaimer: I do not own Titanic, still. Or Jack, Rose, Cal, Officer Lowe… yeah… Maybe more… I do, however, own Fallon and Halley and Mr. Creepy Elliot. That is all.**

*****

"Harold?" The door flew open as Harold pulled away from, stumbling back and into a set of brooms which fell on top of him before falling to the ground with a clatter. "J… James?" he stuttered, swiping away a mop which had fallen on his head, covering his face. "Oh, thank the Lord…" James mumbled, closing the door enough so just his face was showing through the crack.

My face was probably a deep crimson—I could feel all the heat in my body flying to my face along with the blood. Had he seen us kissing? And why was he so relieved? From behind the door, I could hear the gasps of laughter coming from Mr. Lightoller and Mr. Murdoch.

Harold was breathing heavily and his face was probably just as red as I imagined mine was. "James!" he barked. "What is the meaning of this?" James smiled sheepishly and leaned against the door. It was then that I recognized him as the man who'd directed me to the Mess Hall, before.

"Those two goons over there," he chuckled, nodding his head behind him and towards the other two officers, "Rushed to get me and tell me that Mr. Lowe was involved in some sort of… _inappropriate_ behavior with a young lady." He grinned at me and I was more than positive that my face was nearly purple with embarrassment. A quick glance at Harold revealed that he was, too.

Harold cleared his throat nervously, shifting on his feet. "I… I can assure you that no such… _behavior_ took place. Ms. Collins and myself merely entered this supply closet to escape the view of prying-eyes." We all realized at the same time what Harold had said sounded no better than what James was implying had been going on. James turned to me, then, suddenly realizing who I was. "Ah, Ms. Collins," he said with a grin. If I could have, I would have disappeared, right then and there. Seeing as though both Harold and James were staring at me and James was blocking the door, I could do no such thing.

"I…" I breathed in deeply, trying to swallow the lump in my throat. "Well, you see, Mr. Moody… I…" I stumbled over my words, trying to think up a good enough excuse. It was times like these I had wished I'd had Halley's imagination. She was always amazing at coming up with believable lies. Harold cleared his throat again, taking James' attention off of me. "You wouldn't be telling the captain of my… _behaviors_, would you James?" A sly look crossed over James' face. "What's to tell?" he muttered with a wink before turning away and almost completely closing the door.

"You two!" he shouted and the laughs erupting from the senior officer's suddenly halted. "You're needed on the Bridge, right away! Captain's orders!" There was silence for a moment before Mr. Murdoch spoke up. "But… but it's Harold's shift at the moment, isn't it?"

Harold's fingers found their way to lace around mine and he squeezed my hand gently. I could tell that he was just as amused and amazed with James' lying as I was. "Are you really one to argue with the captain, Mr. Murdoch?" James asked and I could only imagine him furrowing his brow as he did so. "I didn't think so!" he called as two pairs of footsteps could be heard, skittering out of the room.

The door flew open and a gust of fresh air rushed into the closet. I let out a sigh of relief and felt my face go back to its original pale complexion. Swallowing hard, I turned to James, my hand still tightly intertwined with Harold's. "I don't know how I could ever thank you, Mr…." "James," he interjected. "Please call me James. And you don't have to thank me. I've owed Harry for a while. If it weren't for him, they'd have eaten me up and spat me out by now." He tipped his hat before turning to Harold.

"Looks like you've got some time on your hands, Mr. Lowe. I'd lay low, though. If either of those goons catch you, especially with her while they're covering for you, they'll tell higher authorities and Captain'll surely throw you overboard…" I glanced at Harold who was grinning like the fool he was. "Aye, thanks, Jamesey-Boy. I suppose we're even, now." They nodded their goodbyes, as did I, and Harold dragged me out of the Mess Hall, running as though we were being chased.

He only stopped when we reached a door with his name engraved on a plate next to it. It was in the same hallway as the Mess Hall, but several doors down. Harold glanced around nervously, assuring that no one was near, before throwing the door open and shoving me inside. He slammed the door closed behind him.

The room was small—one bed, a lamp and a nightstand—but it seemed cozy enough. "So this is where the famous Mr. Lowe stays. Lovely accommodations, if I do say so myself," I teased, turning to a panting Harold who was removing the tie from his neck. "What did you expect? I'm the fifth officer… I didn't expect much myself. This _is_ the _Titanic_, though, so I'm quite pleased."

Curious to see his reaction, I sat down on Harold's bed, watching his face carefully. His fingers slowed before beginning to shake slightly as he undid the buttons on the front of his jacket. I stood again, not wanting to cause him any more discomfort than he was probably already experiencing with me in his room. "We hardly know each other, Harold. Tell me something about yourself."

*

Skittish as a cat, Halley closed the door to the room she shared with Fallon and slowly made her way down the corridor. It would not do her any good to be caught and questioned after her reprimanding earlier that day.

She began walking down the hallway, desperately trying to act more confident than she felt, when she heard heavy footsteps behind her. Frozen in fear, Halley closed her eyes and stood rigid in the middle of the passage. "Miss?" a deep, masculine and somewhat dark voice called from behind her. "Are you quite alright?"

Halley's eyes flew open. She had heard the voice before; there was no mistaking it… But where? She turned around slowly, trying _not_ to allow her uneasy disposition become too obvious. The man was tall and handsome—he wore a black suit which accompanied his black hair and eyes and his contrastingly white skin. He had an enticing air to him… something that Halley couldn't seem to place.

"Oh, yes," she answered finally as the man came to stop in front of her. He gave her a half smile, his lips closed but the sincerity still there. "I do… uh, need a bit of assistance, though," she worked up the nerve to ask, resisting the pulling sensation to look down at her feet as she often did when she was nervous.

He raised his eyebrows, subconsciously raising his nose along with it and looking down at her. "I was wondering if you would know where Mr. Elliot's room is?" The man seemed taken aback, if only for an instant before he nodded. "Why yes… Would you like me to escort you? I'm going to meet my fiancée near the Bridge… his room is on the way." Halley nodded, swallowing hard and praying the man wouldn't ask why she requested to see Mr. Elliot.

Offering her his arm, the man began leading Halley down a maze of hallways, glancing at her every so often. After a minute of silence a look of realization came upon his face. "You're Miss Collins, aren't you? Halley? And you're sister's name is Fallon. Yes, your father and I have done business together and Fallon seems to know my fiancée. I'm Caledon Hockley. I believe you're staying in the room across the hall from my party."

Halley nodded, suddenly feeling her throat go dry and her face get hot. Would Cal tell Fallon where she had been going? Or indirectly, would Cal tell his fiancée and his fiancée gossip to Fallon? Sighing deeply, she pushed the thought behind her. _No one will tell Fallon…_ she silently assured herself.

Before she knew it, Cal was letting go of her arm. "Here you are, Miss Collins. I'd stay and chat awhile, but my fiancée awaits me…" he flashed her a grin before turning on heel and leaving. Halley blinked twice, wondering if he'd really just walked her there or if it was just her imagination. Shaking her head, she turned to the door and knocked confidently, three times. Within twenty seconds, the sound of footsteps approaching the door where heard.

*

_**Hope you enjoy it! I pinky swear I'll write some more as I'll have some free time in about three weeks… Thanks so much!**_

_**No lemons, please!**_

_**~Jillianna**_


	8. Chapter Seven and a Half

_**I WILL POST A CHAPTER AS SOON AS I POST THIS AUTHOR'S NOTE!**_

_**Okay… I know A LOT of people post an A/N as a chapter to apologize that they won't be updating their story for another few weeks or months or whatever… But, I'm posting this with chapter eight following IMMEDIATELY after this. DO NOT FRET! I just wanted to let you guys know that I have no intention of letting this story go without finishing it. I could tell you a thousand and two lame excuses to why I haven't updated in a while, but I'll save my sob stories for later. As for now, just know that since I've started story, I will finish it, no matter how long it takes. And I have an idea for another fanfiction… I'll start as soon as I finish this one.**_

_**I want to apologize to everyone that this story is taking so long to get underway, and I'm also taking this opportunity to apologize to , as I know that this "chapter" violates your policy. Well… Allow me to fix that:**_

Chapter Seven and ½:

Mr. Elliot opened the door to his stateroom, smiled, and invited Halley inside.

_**There you are, my loverly readers: Chapter Seven and ½. Read it. Love it. That's pretty much it. I do apologize again. By the way, I do thank a few peeps and junk in the A/N in chapter eight… so please read that one two. Sorry for wasting your time…**_

_**~Jillianna**_


	9. April 11th Chapter Eight

_**Author's Note: I'd like to personally thank "Samantha" for commenting on Chapter Seven and being such a sweetie. **___

_**Samantha: Thank you for really complimenting my work on a day that hadn't been so great for me. I really appreciate it. **___

_**Forgive me, but this chapter is much later than I'd expected it to be. My only excuse is that… Well… I don't have one. I could drag on all day, making up some sob story and unless anyone wants that, I think I'll keep that to my imagination… Hahaaa.**_

_**I'd also appreciate some feedback as to whether you guys are happy with the length and plotline and so on… Do you think I should include some more Jack/Rose/Cal or…? And do you like where it's going with Halley/Mr. Elliot and Fallon/Harold? Just wondering. I really love nice reviews. Mean reviews discourage me and make me sad.**_

_**Thanks a bunch!**_

_**~Jillianna**_

_**Disclaimer: I still don't own Jack, Rose, Cal, Harold, any officers or crew members… I only own (so far) Fallon and Halley Collins, anyone related to them, and Mr. Elliot. **___

"Are you _sure_ you don't want me to walk you back to your room, Baby?" he whispered in her ear, tenderly planting kisses along her bare neck. She readjusted her sleeve, pulling it back up to her shoulder and gently pushed him back. "I should really get back to my room," she swallowed hard, desperately trying to keep her better judgment in check as his warm breath danced along her exposed neck.

Sitting up, she pulled away and he stood as she did. "At least let me walk you down the hall?" She smiled, gently fixing her hair. "If Fallon sees us, she'll kill me," she explained and he whimpered, earning a sweet giggle from her throat. "Really. I must go. If I don't see you at dinner tonight, I'll come back tomorrow."

"Until then," he whispered, pulling her close and placing his hands on her lower back and the back of her neck. He kissed her hungrily before she pulled away, flashing him a smile before she left, closing the door behind herself. She made her way back to the room, walking on air with her head in the clouds. She reached the room and had her hand on the brass doorknob when she furrowed her brow. She didn't have to go back yet. It was probably sometime after noon—she'd missed lunch and Fallon would probably assume it was because she was too ashamed to leave the room.

She was actually contemplating going back to Mr. Elliot's room when a warm voice entered her ears. "Miss Collins?" Halley turned coolly to face a girl of about twenty, her red hair exploding from her scalp as she walked nonchalantly forward. She was the girl who was staying in the room across the hall from her and Fallon. "Oh, please. Call me Halley." The girl smiled as she caught up with Halley and they fell into step together.

After several moments of silence, the girl broke the silence awkwardly. "I have no place in asking this of you, Halley, but I… I'm in sort of a rather _uncomfortable_ position…" Halley glanced at her and immediately noticed the worry in her eyes. "Cal, my fiancé that is, will be looking for me. I upset him over lunch and, I… Could you lie for me?" Halley smiled. Lying to higher authority was one of her talents.

"Oh, I wouldn't mind, really. What is it you want me to tell him…?" The girl seemed taken aback, as though she hadn't expected this to work at all. "I… well…" she stuttered, trying to hold onto some composure. Halley thought for a moment before speaking her own plan. "When you see him later, you could tell him that you were with me. And if he runs into me, I'll tell him that I wanted to talk to you. He doesn't seem like the kind who'd be interested in what a woman has to say, so if he were to ask, just tell him it was girl-talk."

At this point, the girl had stopped walking altogether to stare at Halley. "Thank you…" was all she could muster. "Halley… thank you… You really are something…" Halley smiled and shrugged modestly before the girl turned and hurried off down the hall. Sighing, she picked up her pace. She might as well go find Fallon. And she knew where she'd be.

He was from Whales. That was about all I could get out of him. He seemed so uncomfortable with me there. He stood, stiff as a board, near the door, while I studied his room. Finally, after several minutes of silence, I sat on his bed daintily and looked at him, my brow furrowed.

"Harold? Do I make you… Nervous?" He swallowed hard, looking down and avoiding my gaze. "Nervous? Oh, not at all… I just don't believe it's all too… _proper_… Well… never mind. Forget I even spoke." But I had already picked up at what he was getting at. "If you want, we could go somewhere else…?" I suggested, my eyes wide and innocent. "Oh, nonsense. This is the only place on the entire ship that only I have access to."

I frowned. "Then what do you care what's proper or not in the privacy of your own room? No one's going to walk in on us. And even if they do, what are we guilty of? Talking? Oh, dear—how scandalous!" I joked. Harold cracked a smile. "I suppose you're right," he muttered, shrugging off the Officer's coat which he had already unbuttoned. He wore a stiff-collared white long-sleeve under that, but he seemed so much more at ease than before.

His shoulders slouched and he leaned back against the wall. I crossed my legs, though the tightness of the dress didn't allow much movement. "So you're from Whales?" I inquired, looking down at my hands politely. "Oh, yes. I left my family there fifteen years ago to sail the oceans. I've been doing so ever since." "Fascinating," I breathed, and I meant it.

I proceeded to tell him about my family—Halley, the rowdy youngest, Tommy, the responsible eldest, and me, the middle child. I told him about my parents who had been happily married for almost thirty years. Harold smiled and nodded when I told him of my childhood in American and the quarrels I'd fought with both my siblings and my parents. I didn't, however, speak a word of my fiancé, Charles. I had managed to keep my engagement ring hidden from Harold this long.

Suddenly aware that he might see it, I readjusted my position so that my hands were behind my back where Harold couldn't see them. Gently, I began working the diamond off my slender finger. "Do you have any siblings?" I asked nonchalantly, my fingers still working madly behind my back.

He grinned widely, opening his mouth to answer, when there was a loud knock on the door. A soft voice sailed through the thin walls. "Mr. Lowe? Are you there?" Harold froze, his face blanching as I instantly stood, glancing around the room for a hiding spot, my fingers still madly working to get my ring off. _Where do I go?_ I mouthed anxiously. His head turned to the door as the voice came through again. "Officer?"

"Yes?" he called back, putting his face close to the door as he wildly gestured to the other side of the room. I glanced at the floor, which was hidden from view of the door by the bed. I dove for the space, feeling the ring, which had been nearly off my finger due to the incessant tugging, fly from my hand, landing somewhere in the middle of the room.

Crouching down under the bed, I heard a muffled voice coming from the other side of the door, but it was too soft for me to make out. From my position, I could see the diamond glinting on the floor, about two feet from Harold's foot. "Oh, yes," I heard make a point of speaking loudly so I could hear. "Hold on, let me just unlock the door…" I heard him slowly unlock the door as he quietly hissed in my direction: "Don't move."

The door creaked open and though the space between the bed and the floor, I watched a pair of feet enter the room. The voice, I instantly recognized. "Oh, pardon me for bothering you, Officer, but Mr. Moody said you might be in here…" I watched Harold's feet quickly shuffle to the doorway where I imagined he checked the hallway to see if anyone was watching. "Is there something you need, Halley?"

Halley's feet moved towards the bed, walking right over my diamond ring, and I heard the mattress sink under her weight as she sat down. "I was just looking for my sister… I believe I upset her before and I wanted to make sure she was okay. I thought she'd be with you?"

"I did see her on deck before. I told her I'd have tea with her right after I finished my shift. In fact, I was just about to go find her," Harold offered. I heard could almost see Halley's eyebrows knitting together as she spoke next: "That's odd… Mr. Moody said your shift was just about to start." She paused for a moment as I sucked in my breath. God only knew what she'd do to me if she found me hiding under a bed in an Officer's room…

"Mr. Lowe… I'm not ignorant. I do know that something's going on." Not exactly giving in to her games, I heard Harold snort as politely as he could. "And what makes you think that something's going on?" he asked, and I could tell he was smiling.

"Well, for starters, I know she was in here because her engagement ring is on the floor."


	10. April 11th Chapter Nine

_**Author's note: You see, I was smart this time. I wrote this chapter before I posted the last one so the wait wasn't THAT long… though maybe it was… Hope you're enjoying the story. Chapters may start getting shorter, if that's okay with you guys. Lemme know—reviews are always welcome. :D**_

_**And, just so you know, I have EVERY INTENTION to finish this story. I know it's not getting very far, and updates may be few and far between, but I'm doing the best I can at the moment… No promises, except that this will be finished… Eventually.**_

_**(In case it hasn't been made very clear, Tommy Collins is Fallon and Halley's older brother.)  
**_

_**Disclaimer: See any previous page.**_

_**~Jillianna**_

I felt my face growing hot for the second time today. This was not good. Not only did Halley know that Fallon had been _in_ my damned room, but now I knew that Fallon was engaged. I suppose I was the most confused in the room. That is, until Halley spoke again.

"I suppose you know where Fallon is," she reasoned, squinting her eyes at me before looking down at her hands which were neatly folded in her lap. "I don't expect you to tell me, though. But I would like to know what's going on. I may not be ignorant, but I don't really get what's going on between you two. Care to enlighten me?" She looked up at me, crossing her legs under her white dress.

Opening my dry mouth, I hoped something would come out, but nothing did. I shifted uneasily on my feet, glancing at the engagement ring on the floor. "Fallon's engaged?" was all I could come up with after almost a minute. Halley looked rather surprised, her eyebrows arched in mock interest. "You mean… she didn't tell you? Oh," she looked back down at her hands and frowned.

Holding back the urge to reveal Fallon's hiding spot, I walked forward and bent down, picking up the engagement ring. I glanced under the bed and caught a glimpse of Fallon's hand, which I imagined was covering her face in embarrassment. I stood back up, feeling Halley eyes on me.

The ring was nice—a slender silver band with vines etched on the sides and a beautiful white diamond in the center. Too bad the thing probably cost more that what I made in a year…

It was then I realized the door was still open. Maybe it was the fact that my mind was screaming for an excuse to look away from the ring. Or maybe it was the fact that someone's voice was echoing down the hallway. Whatever it was, all I knew was that I just barely dove to the door and slammed it closed before I heard William Murdoch's voice echoing through the wall.

"Harry, we know you're in there!" he sang and I heard the stifled laughs coming from Charles Lightoller. "Shut up!" I called back. "I'm indisposed at the moment." Again, muffled laughter. "Indisposed or with a girl?" I heard the sound of Halley gasp and I knew that she had finally put all the pieces together in her mind. Damn, she was smart…

"That question is both inappropriate and none of your business," I retorted, watching helplessly as Halley crawled over my bed and peered under it. I heard a hushed cry, which I suppose could have come from either Halley or Fallon. "Please leave," I called, "Or I'll inform the Captain of your disturbances."

This time, the laughter wasn't stifled or muffled as I heard it sail down the hallway. Relieved that they had left, I turned back to the trouble unfolding in my room.

"I cannot _believe_ you!" Halley screamed sitting heavily on Harold's bed. "You just wait until our parents find out. I can't believe what Hell you put me through for kissing a man while you're… you're an engaged woman spending the day in a damned sailor's quarters!"

I finally came to my senses, realizing what was going on here. "Halley!" I gasped, ignoring the fact that she'd just insulted Harold while he stood in the corner of his room, watching the battle unfold between my sister and I. "I am your caretaker on this voyage. I can't imagine you'd ever speak this way to our mother or father… or even Tommy! You are going to march yourself right back to our stateroom and you'll be lucky if I let you out before Monday for talking to me like that."

"Fal-" she began to protest but I grabbed her arm tightly. "Now!" I screeched, and she ducked her head. "Mr. Lowe, I apologize for any distress my sister or I have caused you…" Halley whispered and I turned to Harold who had a rather shocked look on his face, hidden under the beet-red complexion.

I swallowed hard and gave him a pained and what I hoped looked like an apologetic expression. I could tell he tried to fake a smile as I turned away, opening the door and leading Halley out, not daring to look back.

As soon as we were back in the safety of our stateroom, all Hell broke loose. "How could you embarrass me like that?" I cried almost as soon as the door closed behind us. Halley turned, ripping her arm free of my grasp, her eyes wide as though she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"How could _I_ embarrass _you_ like that? How could _you_ embarrass _me_ like that? You're cheating on Charles, the man who loves you, and you have to nerve to accuse me of embarrassing you? Trust me, Fal, you're the only one embarrassing you."

Before she could go on insulting me, I let my rampaging emotions get the better of me as the back of my hand connected with Halley's cheek. The sheer force and unexpectedness of the slap was enough to cause Halley to stumble backwards and onto the ground as she stared at me, her glassy eyes wide. She looked so little and innocent and afraid, and I instantly regretted it.

"Fal…" she whispered, pulling her legs under her body, hiding them in the folds of her white dress. I swallowed hard, biting my lip as I watched her small hand move up to her delicate cheek, her fingers gently touching the red mark on her cheek. "Halley…" I began, shaking my head and advancing towards her slowly. Her head snapped up to stare at me, her eyes wide. "Don't touch me…" she whispered, shaking her head violently. "Leave me alone…"

Before I could react, she was on her feet and out of the stateroom. "Halley!" I called after her, standing in the doorway as I watched her turn a corner at the end of the hallway. "Dear God…" I muttered, looking down at my hands and wondering what had possessed me to hit her.

The door across the hall opened suddenly and the young redhead appeared. "Everything alright?" she asked inquisitively, tilting her head in question. I swallowed hard again. "Oh, yes… Everything's fine." I watched her eyebrows furrow as though she didn't quite believe me. I expected her, as first class misses are raised to do, to nod in agreement, ask no further questions and turn away from the situation. This girl, however, had apparently not been bred in such a manner.

She glanced behind her into her stateroom before coming closer to me and lowering her voice. "Is it your sister? Do you need help?" I faked a smile, attempting to mask my shock in this confrontation. "No, everything's quite alright, thank you. And Halley's fine—thank you for asking." With that, I nodded, and stepped back into my room, not daring to look back at the young, curious redhead.

And that night, I cried myself to sleep.


End file.
